Method for automatically signaling and controlling trains according to the position of track switches



Nov. 11, 1930. KARL 1,781,284

METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY SIGNALING AND CONTROLLING TRAINS ACCORDING TO THE POSITION OF TRACK SWITCHES Filed Feb. 15, 1928 Patented Nov. 11, 1930 PATENT OFFICE UNITED STATES HEINRICH KARL, or JERSEY my, NEW JERSEY METHOD non AUTOMAT CALLY SiGNALING AND CONTROLLING, creams ACCORDING TO can rosirron or TRACK SWITCHES Application filed February 15, 1928. Serial no. 254,502.

Part of this invention has been the subject of my co-pending application, Serial No. 59,917, filed October 1, 1925, of which division was required. l

More particularly, this invention is created for preventing trains from derailing or being torn apart by signaling them and at the same time stopping them, or by reducing their excessive speed it such danger is at hand through an imperfectly closed or imperfectly opened track switch. These imperfect positions of the switch tongue may be caused by stones, mud or ice, etc. settling betweenthe switch tongue and the rails etc. whereby the 137 free movement ofthe switch tongueis obstructed. Another object of the invention is to signal the train of the position of the track switch, thatis, it open or closed and to exert V also a certain control upon the train entering the block in which the track switch is located. -The control is performed through the electric current and therefore certain electric connections arebrought in connection with the track switches. In this invention there are two forms or modifications shown of which one, which is shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, is so designed that the source of electric current is situated at the roadside, which arrangement serves especially when thecontrol upon the train is a con-.

tinuous one. Theother arrangement which is shown in Figure 2 serves on such railroad lines where the source of the controlling current is situated on the train and as in this event the control is performed mostlyon predetermined control points, suclras on block entrances, etc., the electric connections differing somewhat from those shown in Figure 1. In Figure 2 thereis also shown a device whereby the electric contacts are confined in a tube which serves for protecting them from weather and other influences etc. this device which will be described later can be employed also in connection withthe system oi' Figure 1.

Referring more particularly to Figure 1, the source of current is indicated by. 10 and 1S represented as a traclr battery. However, any

. othersource ofcurrent canlbe employed, such w as'the currentof a generator conducted along the railroad line by means of a wire etc. and impressedupon the rails in a suitable manner and this current may be A. C. if the control system on the trains is designed to respond to such current. a 1

Connected to said battery 10 is a wire 11 which is also connected to the trafiic rail 1 which might be a continuous rail as it is som times used in certain automatic control systems. To the negative side of the battery 10 is connected the wire 12 which is alsocojnnected to the switch tongue 13, This track battery 10, however, might be located at the end of the block to which the curved track rails lead to, and the wire 12 must then be connected to the left side traffic rail. See arrow for direction of traiiic. This switch tongue is so arranged that it moves within cer' tain bounds onthe usual switch-bed which, however, according to Figure 1, is provided with certain electric contacts 14, 15 and an insulation .16 that is placed between these contacts. This insulation must be of such width that none of said contacts 14, 15 will be contacted by the switch tongue 13 when it midway between these contacts in which position the wheel flanges of the train would ride on the crest of the switch tongue and thereby cause a derailment. The contact 15 may be formed by the track rail 2. y

To the contact 14 is connectedthe wire 17 which includes a resistance 17 of a predetermined amount of ohms, and this wire is alsoconnected to rail 2. Rail 2 of the block is limited by the insulations 18 and at the entrance end of the block may be situated the usual block signal which, however, may be dispensed with if cab signalsare employed on the trains. Such signals, either the trackside signals or the cab signals if they are designed on the safe side, will go to danger position if the track circuit is interrupted and as such interruption of the circuit would takeplace when the switch tongue 13 does not contact either with the contacts 14 or 15 the respective signal would then go to danger position. In this event, there would be also effected the stopping mechanism of the train entering this block so thatthe train would come to a stop before it reaches this track switch. Although I have disclosed several train control systems which are pending patent applications, I do not limit my self by pointing to a certain system since there are many systems already known in the art which could serve -1n connectlon with the present invention, However, for fully comprehending the lnvention, reference is made to the disclosure in connection with Figure 2 of the present invention that will circuit this circuitt this current will then energize-the track relay 19 whose winding is electrically connected to rail 2 by means of the wire 20 and to rail 1 by the wire 21.

' Relay 19 may be of the usual construction dicated by 32, 'anda wire 29 is connected to" this signal and to the contact 33 that will be.

' is ope There is still another signal indie catedby 34 which serves as the danger -sig but in the case where the position of a track switch is to be signaled a third indication is to be made by the signal and this is when the switch tongue contacts with thecontact 14 whi'ch'means that the switch is open. For this purpose, I arrange a second armature indicated by 23 which is much lighter than the armature 22. -Armature 22 will be at tracted only when the full current flows through the traffic rails and the Winding of the relay'l9, while only the armature 23 will be attracted when the current is forced to flow through the resistance 17 because there will be a weaker energization of the track relay 19. A wire 24 is connected to the armature 22 or pivot thereof and by means of I the wire25 is also in electric connection with the armature -23. WVire 24' is connected to a battery 26 and at the opposite pole thereof is connected the wire 27. To wire 27 areconnected two branch wires 28, 29, respectively. In connection with wire 28 there is the signal 30fl'that signals switch closed. This signal is therefore connectedby a wire 28 that terminates at the contact 3l-which will be contacted only by the armature 22 when itis' fully attracted'by the relay solenoid 19,

in which event the circuit will'be closed'in which the signal 30 isincluded' In connection with wire 29there is another signal, in-

contacte d only be the armature 23 when it is fully attractedby the relay solenoid 19.,

' and in this event the circuit will be closed that includes thissignal 32. It is thus shown that signals 30 and 32arelighted simultaneously when the switch is closed and that only the signal 32 islighted when the switch nal A wire 35 is theretoreconnected to this to a contact 37 which will be contacted by the armature, 23 when the latter is in its 23' then closes the circuit that lights the signal 34. In the drawing, the signals 30, 32

andv 34 areJsimply represented as light signals and according to the code in the United States, signal 30 should be of green color,

signal32 of yellow or orange color and signal 34 of red color. Assuming that only cab signals 1 are employed on that railroad for signaling the position of the track switches,

'a'somewhat similar arrangement would be necessary, as that illustrated in Figure 2 of the present invention whereby however the battery 131 must be excluded from the circuit and referring to the other solenoids indicated by 140, 142, 146 they may be included, control sys-' in the circuit if there is a train tem' arrangedon the train. Instead of the relay 19 there would be the relay 152 (see F1gure'2) and instead of the signals 30, 32

and 34 and electric connections thereofthere I will be the signals 30, 32 and 34 on the 10- comotive or motor car, and instead of the wire 20 a contact will be in contact with the first left side wheel of that locomotive as simply indicated by the arrow 20., and instead of the wire 21 there is a contact 2l that Wlll be in contact with the first-rigl1t side wheel of that locomotive. To these contacts will then be connected the wires 20 and 21. respectively, which are then directly or in directly electrically connected with the winch ing of the solenoid 152. In order to prevent short circuit of the track circuit, it will be necessary that an insulation be placed in the the other wheels of this first train unit, or

that a very'strong resistance bemade between these first wheels of the train. Such resistance could be made by nickel-plating the axle of these wheelst In order to receive cor rect signalsalso when the locomotive or motor car should be turned in the inverse direction whereby the ,normally'rear wheels of the locomotive or tender thereof, etc, would be the first wheels,- a wire may be connected to a contact on the last left, side wheel of the locomotive ortender or motor. car and to wire 21", andto a contact that contacts with the last right side wheel of that locomotive or, tender or motor car a wire should 7 be connected that must be connected also to the wire 20 and besides this the axle of these last wheels of the locomotive or tender thereof or motor car should also be so insulated or should receive such resistance that it would not short circuit the 'track circuit current when the locomotive or'motor car is turned 46 which is also connected to rail 1.

nvenasc in the reverse direction in which then these normally last wheels of the locomotive, etc., would then be the first ones of the train.

It is obvious that by introducing electromagnetically operable train control devices in a circuit that is controlled by the electroinagnets 140, 142, a completely sate automatic train control system will be created thereby. An automatic train control device that could serve in this case is disclosed in my United States Patent No. 1,649,597 of November 15, 1927. i

Referring further to Figure 2 the scheme is somewhat similar to that shown in Figure 1, in so far as there is also the full current sent through the traflic rails of the block when the switchtongue 13 contacts with the rail 2 and that a current will flow through tnese trafiic rails that is diminished in potential when the track switch iscompletely open and that no current will flow through the block traliic rails when the switch tongue does not resume the correct positions as defined as closed, or completely open.

In order to exclude any interference from external influences the electrical cont-acts in connection with the track switch are confined in a tube 40 that is made of an insulating material such as glass etc. A piston-like contact part 41 is arranged for moving within the hollow part thereof and to contact thereby with certan electric contacts or with the insulation of the tube in accordance with the post tion of the switchitongue. To this effect said contact part 41 (which may have as well a different shape) is connected to the rod 42 which inustbe insulated from the contact 41. Rod 42 is also connectedto the switch tongue 13, in such a manner that it cannot be deranged or broken by the train wheels, that is, by the flanges thereof. In the walls of the tube 40 that should be closed at the end 40' two electric contacts 43,44 are so arranged that they will be contactedsimultaneously by the contact 41 when the switch tongue 13 is completely closed, that is when the switch tongue contacts with the rail 2. To contact 43 is connected the wire 45 which is again connected to rail 2'. To contact 44 is connected the wire A certain distance from the contacts 43, 44 a re arranged the contacts 47, 48 which are electri cally separated by the insulating material of the tube 40 and which are electrically COl'ltEtCted by the contact part 41 when the track switch is completely open whereby the switch tongue by going to this position pushes the rod 42 and therewith the contact part 41 so far into the tube that this contact part comes out of contact with the contacts 43, 44 but comes into contact with the contacts 47,48. To he contact 47 is connected thewire 49 which includes resistance 50. Wire 49 is connected to wire 45 or directly to rail2. To the contact 48 is conne'cted the wire 51which is connected to wire 46 or directly to tratlic rail 1. By connecting wire 46 to a battery in a suitable manner and the other pole of the battery with the rail 1,a control or signaling could be made in the sense as explained in connection with Figure 1. In Figure2, however, it is assumed that the electric current that serves for operating the various signaling or automatic control devices is situated on the train and consequently is sent therefrom through the traihc rails of one or several blocks or sections ahead of the train. A minutely described system of this character is the subject of my automatic train control system, Serial No. 59,917, filed October 1, 1925, or of my patent application, Serial No. 149,659 that was tiled November 20, 1926. In the latter pplication are described such systems that serve for continuously controlling the train.

In connection with Figure 2 of the present invention, however, only the general scheme will be indicated and the part of the train control very simplified.

On the train there are several electro-magnets (solenoids) of which 140 is very sensitive, that indicated by 142 is only responsive to a relatively strong current, as, for instance, the current of the track circuit that is not weakened by resistance. The solenoid 146 is already responsive to a current that maybe weakened to a certain degree and the solenoid 152 may be responsive to all currents, because besides serving for the operation of cab signals as indicated previously, it may serve for operating a device that indicates the distances which another train may be apart from the train that carries these solenoids. This device is shown only in said application, Serial No. 59,917.

Assuming that the current of the battery 131 is sent through the windings of these solenoids, and impressed upon the traffic rails so that it must flow through those situated in advance of the train. The current will then flow through battery 131, wire 21", contact 21, the respective wheel therefor, rail 1, wire 46, and if the switch is completely closed, through contacts 44, 41 and 43, through wire -15, rail 2, back to the trains first left side wheel, contact 20', wire 20", through the windings of the solenoids 140, 142, 146, 152 and connecting wires thereto and to the battery 131. i

The current energizes the solenoids 140, 142, 146 and 152 fully so that even the armature of solenoid 142 is attracted. This means that the circuit (a) that will be traced later is interrupted. This circuit is a normally closed one and thereby keeps the stopping mechanism normally ineffective. This stopping mechanism causes therefore the stopping ot the train through the interruption of circuit (a because it is assumed that the regular tratlic should be in the direction of the arrow 52 while the switch wonldcause the train to move in the directionofthe -arrow 53. Assuming, however, thatthe train had to go in the dlrecti-on of the arrow 53,,

that is to say, that this direction isthat of the regular traliic, the electr c connections should then be changed somewhat In-(1 111- stead to place the resistance 50 in the Wire 49 it shouldbe placed in the wire 45 at a part that lays between the point of connection with wire 49 and the contact 43, orin the wire 46 between the point of connection with wire 51 and the contact 44.

Now 1t w ll he assumed that the regular traihc is in the direction of the arrow 52 and that the track switch is open, sothat the contact 41 in contact with the contacts 47., 48 and the current has to flow through the re-- sistance 50, the solenoid 142 will then not be strongly energized and consequently will. not

Y attract its armature; Solenoid140, however,

will be sufliciently energized for attracting its armature despite the resistance introduced in the circuit; the cab circuit (a) rema ns therefore closed, Circuit (a) includes vthe battery 125, wire 126, electro-magnet 127 of the electric brake, (which electromagnet may be any one o f thoseemployed for operating the brakes in the'manner disclosed in my United States Patent No. 1,649,597 of November 15, 1927 wire 128, the solenoid 129 of theelectro-magnetic air venting device, described later and employable in case where there is also the air brake employed on the train; then follows: the wire 129 electro-magnet 70, wire 130, contact 132,

armature 133, contact 134 of the solenoid 140, wire 135, contact-136, armature 137 and contact 138 or" the solenoid 142, wire 139 and battery 125. The electromagnetic air vent- 'ing device consists of a cylindricalbody in which there is a piston 61 movably arranged therein. A rod, 62 is secured to this piston and at the oppositeend of this rod is secured the armature 64 of the solenoid 129 through the center'of which the rod 62 is passed which therefore forms at the same time a core for this solenoid. side end of the cylindrical body 60 there is an, inlet port 63 for compressed air and apipe serves for convey ng this compressed air fromv the train pipe to this 111161313011,

63. Secured to the piston 61 isa stopper 66 of the plug type which is so arranged that it normally closes the inlet port 63, that is i; to say,'this stopper is'jpressed against the inlet port when thearmature 64 is'fully' attracted by the solenoid 129 which takes place whenithe latter is fully energized by the currentof circuit (a). In this event the armature pushes the rod 62and piston 61 towards the left forcing the stopper 66 to cover the inlet port 63. In this-positionthe piston 61 closes two exhaust ports or terminals of conduits that communicate with i; said cylinder '60. Gne of these ports, which At the left is indicated by '67, communicates-with a reservoir 67 v of a predetermined capacity and the other, indicated by 68, communicates with the atmosphere. Port 67 is nearerto the left side end of the'cylinder60 than the port, 68. 129 becomes completely tie-energized, which happens when the armature 133 drops on account of the de-energization of solenoid 140 which takes place when thecontact 41 nei- Assuming,'now, thatthe solenoid ther contacts with the contacts 43, 44, nor 1 with the contacts 47, 48 which shows that the switch tongue'is in apositionthat endangers the train,,the compressed air in pipe 65 exerting a strong pressure against the stopper 66 pushes it together with piston 61, rod 62 and armature 64 to the right whereby it passes through port 67 and pipe 67' and enters the reservoir 67 and remains" there ton whereby the compressed air rushes out to the atmosphere which means that the brakes willbe strongly appliedas it is known by those skilled in the art. 7

If it should be desirable that the so-called service application of the brakes be made automatically when the train has to proceed in the direction of the arrow 52 certain elec tric connections are made'in connection with the electro-magnet 146 that serve for energizing the electro-magnet (solenoid) 129 to a degree in which the armature will be at-' tracted suiiiciently to exert as much counterpressure to the air in pipe 63 that only the port 67 will be opened but the port 68 still kept closed by the piston 61. Said electric connections with the electro-magnet 146 are: the wire 73 that is connected to wire 135 of circuit (a),-the resistance 74 that causes the reduced energization of solenoid, 129, the

wire 7 5, the contact 76, armature 77, and contact 78 of electro-magnet 146, and the wire 79 that is connected to the wire 139 of circuit (a). It is thusshown that a shunt is made inwhich the resistance 74 is included and that the circuit (a) with the exception of the contact 136, armature 137 and contact 138 and a part of the wires 135 and 139,is included in the circuit thus created. If it is not desired, however,;that a service application of the brakes takes place automatically when the train has to proceed in the direc tion of the arrow-52it will be simply necessary to increase the amount of ohms in the V 32 and 34. r

resistance 50 to such a degree that the solenoid 146 will not be energized sufliciently for at tracting its armature whereby, however, the solenoid 140 should be stillsuficiently energized as to-attract its armature. The armature 77 of solenoid 146 drops then upon the contacts 80, 81 which are connected by the wires 82, 83, respectively, which are connected to wires73, 139, respectively, and a circuit will be closed that comprises all electric connections of that last mentioned" circuit with the exception of resistance 74, wire 75, contact 7'6, contact 78, and wire 7 9. The solenoid 129 remains then fully energized.

Referring to the signals 30', 32 and 34: that are operated through the armatures of the solenoid 152, it is scarcely necessary to explain the electric connections and function thereof, because they are practically of the same character as those described in connection with Figure 1. It may be mentioned only that instead of the battery 26 the battery 125 is included in the circuits and that a resistance 87 is used for reducing the strong current of battery 125 to a potential that will be more suitable for the light signals 30,

What is claimed is:

1. In an automatic signal and control system, a switch tongue of a track switch adapted to resume a completely normal open and a completely normal closed position, movable contacts adapted to make electric connection when the switch tongue is in normal closed position and when in completely normal open position but interrupting the electric connection when the switch tongue is in a position midway between these positions, a signaling device adapted to indicate said three positions of the track switch tongue, a relay including a relatively heavy armature and a light armature, a clrcuit including said relay and said movable contacts, a resistance included in said circuit when the track switch resumes one of said normal positions whereby only the light armature will be attracted, and no resistance included in said circuit when the switch tongue resumes the other of said normal positions whereby both armatures will be attracted by said relay, and the signal device indicating danger when the switch tongue resumes said position midway between said two normal positions whereby none of said armatures will be attracted by said relay.

2. In an automatic signal and control system, a switch tongue of a track switch adapted to resume a closed position and an open position, electric connections including contacts, said contacts confined in a tubular device for protection against exterior influences such as weather, water, dust, etc., another contact movably arranged within said tubular device and brought in connection with the switchtongue in such manner that the latter will bring this contact into contact with a pair of contacts within said tubular device when the switch tongue is close to the trailic rails and with another pair of electric contacts also within said tubular device when the switch tongue is in its normal completely open position, and said movable contact contacting only with insulating material when the switch tongue is in a position midway between said first mentioned positions, a resistance included in the electric connections of one of the pairs of electric contacts, a source of current and a signaling device adapted to indicate the position of the switch tongue through the current of said source, anda relay adapted to respond to current flowing through said contacts in the tubular device when they are contacted by said movable contact, one of said pairs of contacts having electric connection that includes a resistance.

8. In an automatic signal and control system, a track switch adapted to make a completely normally open and a completely normally closed position, a movable electric contact part in connection therewith, contacting with stationary electric contacts when the track switch is completely open for a given track, the same movable electric contact part contacting with other stationary electric contacts when the track switch is completely closed for said track, an insulating material interposed between all stationary electric contacts and so arranged that said movable electric contact will be disconnected and insulated from said stationary electric contacts when the track switch is neither fully closed nor fully open for said given track. 7

HEINRICH KARL. 

